


all for nothing at all

by alienboyv



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Blood, Everybody Dies, Faked Suicide, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt No Comfort, Literary References & Allusions, M/M, Murder, Other, Poisoning, Rage, Suicide, Togami Byakuya Being An Asshole, Unhappy Ending, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:28:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26773651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alienboyv/pseuds/alienboyv
Summary: i was in the middle ground, looking toescapethe fountain of infinite mirrortree falling(no one would hear)shadow ofnobody theremurders of murderersliving in fear-How Byakuya Togami lost his mind.
Relationships: Fukawa Touko & Togami Byakuya, Kirigiri Kyoko & Naegi Makoto, Kirigiri Kyoko & Togami Byakuya, Naegi Makoto & Togami Byakuya, Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya
Comments: 6
Kudos: 68





	all for nothing at all

**Author's Note:**

> im actually kinda proud of this woo
> 
> Title and summary from Murders by the Miracle Musical.  
> References and quotes from the Illiad and the Song of Achilles.

_Thump._

Byakuya Togami was by no means a cowardly man, he was not held back by insecurities and sentimentalities, those were for the 99%, weaklings, peasants, pleb-

_Thump._

Byakuya felt his jaw stiffen. He exhaled and inhaled through his nose, trying to maintain his usual calm demeanor. When he looked away, he saw Hina crying, her sobs so broken they were silent, and Toko holding her chest as if it were tightening like a screw. Hiro had his hands over his face, obviously peeking through in absolute terror...

…and then, there was Kyoko.

Kyoko looked straight ahead. Her aloof and unreadable behavior remained as if she was watching an everyday occurrence-

 _Well,_ he thought, _I suppose she is._

...but, it wasn't just about her reaction, it was about who she was reacting to. She was reacting as if this were supposed to happen to...to _Makoto_.

 _Thump_.

From the beginning, his philosophy had been that _"Any moment might be our last."_

_Thump_

He watched Makoto's face redden with blood.

_Thump._

The screen above them glitched, green trying to break through the black of a broken screen. A struggle between the machines, fighting for the lives of people they loved in a past life. 

It felt like an eternity, though only a few seconds.

Next thing they knew, Alter Ego was staring straight at them.

 _Thu_ \- Interrupted not on its own accord.

Even Monokuma seemed startled, jumping up in shock. The floor below Makoto opened, letting them all see his sudden descent. 

"MAKOTO!" Hina cried out.

"D-dear god..." Toko murmured. "Wh-what happened to-" For a moment, it almost seemed like Monokuma was at a loss for words.

_Only a moment, though._

Monokuma brushed off his shock and cackled.

"Oh, well, pity that!" He gave them a menacing grin. "Look's like he's getting the hard way out. That would've only taken a moment! Now he's falling to his doom! Too bad."

"We've got to go get him, guys-" Monokuma interrupted Hiro. 

"No chance. Not like he'll survive. He'll just suffer for a little longer. Plus, you guys don't even know where that is! Now, kids, better get back to your rooms!" Monokuma's fury reflected in his voice for only a second before his jovial tone returned.

Afterward, he forced them out of the execution room, despite all of their objections- Except for Kyoko.

Kyoko merely walked out, almost as if in her own world.

Byakuya couldn't help but glare.

* * *

Byakuya walked past the cafeteria, where Hiro and Hina went into in.

"Hey, big shot!" Hina shouted at him. "I thought you were our leader now! Where are you going?!" Byakuya scoffed.

"Like I'd be interested in your pity party. You voted for him too." She stomped away, a concerned Hiro following her.

Toko looked down.

"Master-"

"Don't call me that." He growled out. "...please." A bit of vulnerability slipped into his voice. He shook his head and walked away, leaving Toko to herself.

Byakuya opened his door, nearly slamming it as he walked in.

In a swift moment, he went from cold-hearted, apathetic, and heir Byakuya Togami to-

He fell on his knees and put his shaking head into his hands. He fell back, feeling the crashing waves of despair crash into his chest, his legs bent up at his sides and his head slumped over 

He stared at the floor, his mind flashing images of Makoto.

_Their hope._

At least, he was Byakuya's hope.

Despite everything, Makoto had still fought- for himself, but most importantly, for _them_. He had tried to keep everyone alive, no matter how many of them had already died, and he had, in some ways, succeeded- he couldn't control the blackeneds nor could he control the rules. 

Byakuya could feel himself break, bit by bit. What he had thought was a perfectly intact vase of himself was actually a damaged and falling apart vase, who's glue was now melted until he all fell apart.

 _What a shitty metaphor._ He laughed.

* * *

Byakuya leaned his concentration into the rumbling of the air conditioning. Whenever it quieted for even a moment, images and words flashed in his mind that he made him want to slam his head until it bled.

_Bled, blood, imagine what Naegi could've landed on. What was it? Concrete? Maybe a broken pole? A knife? Maybe he's hung up like a Genocider Jack wannabe, just like you did to..._

He slammed his fist into the wall, feeling the pain ripple through his cold- almost numb- fingers. 

_"This isn't right! Something is wrong!"_ He remembered Naegi's cries. He just kept saying that. As if his hope in them was anything like their hope in him but the thing was, unlike him, they were dirty leeches who were sucking out the hope of the only being who could keep them afloat.

Sure, Byakuya and Kyoko could keep them alive and Hiro and Hina could keep them happy- but who could keep them alive while lifting their spirits at the same time?

Makoto may not be-... _have been_ the smartest person ever but to some degree, even Byakuya acknowledged his passion- which might have been even stronger than intellect.

…but Makoto will never know that now. _“...and I thought of how many nights I had lain awake loving him in silence.”_

He remembered Kyoko's face too.

It _enraged_ him.

She had been by Makoto's side this entire time, and despite all that, she didn't even try to protect him.

Even when Makoto's fate was set in stone by his own silence, she kept her own self safe, instead of looking out for him...Byakuya paused. _Look, huh._

Makoto had looked at Kyoko, almost as if looking at her for guidance...for what? What would he need guidance for?

He remembered the waver in Makoto's voice as he spoke.

 _Ah, that's it._ Finally, it made sense now. Their talk on the elevator, Makoto's look at Kyoko, Kyoko's silence- pieces of a puzzle Byakuya had been too distraught to put together.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kyoko had just opened the door to the trash chute.

She looked around the room, staring at the camera. While she made sure to wipe off any expression she may have had, on the inside, her mind was churning.

_( **Invincible** , the others seemed to think of her. She thought that once too._

_On the other hand, she silenced herself in her friend's moment of need. How invincible can a person like that be?)_

She shook her head and bent down to the chute. At that moment, there was a clicking sound behind her, spelling out her doom.

* * *

Byakuya thought himself an Achilles-like man.

In his pride, he forgot just who Achilles was. A man named pain, with one singular weakness, who went on a love loss-induced rampage in his grief.

He stood behind Kyoko. His breath ragged and his self exposed.

"Togami." Her monotone voice broke him.

_"What has Hector ever done to me? Achilles once asked, unaware of what was to come."_

He gripped Kyoko's hair, pulling her head back, and finally slammed down the heaviest book in his possession onto her neck.

He shook his head, an unnerving smile appeared on his face.

_"We men are wretched things."_

* * *

Miles apart, two children searched libraries.

An 11-year old Kyoko Kirigiri and a 12-year old Byakuya Togami, whose lives were not to cross for many years, read the same words.

They grabbed their separate documents- one an original and the other a copy. It was the document of the murder of one young man and the overseeing detective had been Fuhito Kirigiri.

His name did not matter, not anymore, nor did his status or job or anything. His self was now 6 feet under.

What mattered was his death. He had died from a strong injury to the back of his neck, officially called "A Fracture/Dislocation of the Cervical Spine."

Additionally, this is also known as Hangman's Fracture.

* * *

10 minutes passed and, finally, Byakuya saw Kyoko had stopped moving.

The piece of tape he put on her mouth was ripped off and shoved in his pocket. He grabbed the rope he had placed by the door and threw it onto the bar on the ceiling. 

He tied it, careful to not alert anyone. Finally, he lifted Kyoko's body and tied the rope around it, turning it into a noose.

He let go and let her swing back and forth and back and forth and back and forth-

Byakuya swiftly made his way out of the room.

In his state, he didn't even notice a frozen Toko that wasn't following him.

* * *

Toko had been wandering when she noticed Byakuya's door opened. She stepped in, hoping to see him. As the carpet shifted under her, the uncomfortable atmosphere became apparent.

Instead of Byakuya, reading atop his bed, she came across an empty room- well, mostly empty. Except for a muttering Byakuya, who had yet to notice her.

A large book and a strained rope were beside him.

She didn't stay for long.

* * *

In his grief, Byakuya had ignored the logical and obvious faults in this viewpoint he had developed that, in any other circumstance, would have been brought to his attention-

Things such as "if Makoto wasn't the killer, why was he executed?" though, he likely would have just rationalized that as well.

"Well, obviously, the mastermind wanted Makoto dead- maybe Kyoko is the mastermind!" He would frantically explain. He doesn't need anyone to believe him, but it would be nice.

Because...if you aren't with him, you must be against him, right?

* * *

There it was- a shriek, a yell, a shout...it was now the beginning of the end. The rapture had begun and the trumpets were sounding. He couldn't help but smile to himself, if only for a moment.

The announcement went off.

_"A body has been discovered!"_

Hina and Hiro stood in front of the hanging body of Kyoko. Hiro covered his mouth as he was hit with an onslaught of nausea and Hina steadied herself as she felt her knees buckle.

"Dear God..." Hina looked around and saw Byakuya standing by the door.

"Did you do this?! Oh god..." She shrieked out.

"No, I would not do this!" Toko entered the room and froze. She grabbed her nose and leaned against the door for support.

At that moment, Monokuma popped up.

_Let this show commence._

* * *

The trial had begun. It had been an hour of fruitless investigations and uncertain theories- whether they were thrown out to further the process of elimination or to force them off the course of truth would depend on just who spoke.

Hiro was yelling out nonsense ("Maybe she really WAS a ghost!") and being repeatedly shot down. ("NO, SHE WASN'T!")

"Maybe it was you, huh?!" Hiro yelled out.

"I was with you! The entire time!" Hina had a flabbergasted expression.

"Maybe you erased my memory!"

"HOW?!" She shook her head.

"We can cross out me and Hiro. That only leaves Byakuya and Toko." Byakuya scoffed and shrugged.

"I suppose." Hina glared at him for a moment, leaning towards his podium. Suddenly, her face dropped her expression and she leaned back. The rest of them were staring at her in confusion.

"...Do you guys remember Chihiro's murder?" The rest of them nodded. Byakuya felt anxiety rise in his chest as if it had wings. "Remember how Mondo killed them? Then, Byakuya rearranged their body and made it look like Syo did it?" 

Byakuya's eyes narrowed.

"What are you implying?"

"I think you know what I'm implying. You obviously know how to tie something and fake a crime scene." She continued.

"The only reason you didn't get away with it was due to the fact that Syo said that her motif is always a man she's attracted to being hung up by her special scissors." For once, Byakuya felt he was on the same wavelength as Hina. At the worst moment.

"Obviously, Syo couldn't have done this. Toko couldn't have either, seeing as she passes out when she sees a dead body." Hina took a breath.

"Are you saying I did it?"

"I'm not saying you didn't." She glared. "You got an alibi?"

* * *

Byakuya looked at Toko, almost as if he was begging for her to lie.

She had never seen this before.

Toko had seen a lot of things in her life. She had seen herself broken and beaten. She had seen bodies upon bodies mutilated. She had seen coping lovers become broken after the death of their beloved.

She hadn't expected to see that same brokenness in Byakuya Togami.

Of course, she had looked in the trash room after he left...and yet, she said nothing.

Why? Was she scared? Was sick? Did she not know what to do?

She wasn't sure of that herself.

Toko snapped herself out of her thoughts and looked back at Byakuya, looking into his eyes. Truly, they were the windows of the soul and what she saw...

_"Sing, O Muse, of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans."_

"H-he was with me!" She cried out. Hina looked at her.

"Well...that does line up..." 

"Yes! She obviously killed herself! I was with him, the entire time!" Hina nodded. Her hesitance made itself obvious.

"Now, now, kids! Time to vote!" Monokuma's shrill voice broke apart their delicate debate.

* * *

"...and...the blackened is _not_ Kyoko." Monokuma cackled. "Amazing! Without Kirigiri and Naegi, you guys really are useless, huh?!" 

Hina's eyes widened. She looks in Byakuya's direction, growling.

"You bastard!" She looked at Toko. "Why? Why did you lie?" Her voice cracked, showing that behind that anger, she was truly and utterly scared.

"I..."

"Enough chit that! Time for the final execution!" Monokuma interrupted them. The three of them backed away while Byakuya merely continued to stare at them.

As if the hands of the dearly departed were reaching up, they were suddenly being dragged away. Hina looked up and saw Byakuya staring at them, motionless and indifferent.

"You can't do this! You can't kill us all and then just stay there! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Her cries landed on apathetic ears.

He looked at them and lifted his eyebrows. He began walking over to them, putting a hand up so Monokuma would stop momentarily.

It is unsure of what he then said to them, but it's meaning was not lost on that ill-fated audience.

No matter the words he chose, no matter the expressions he made, no matter his syntax or grammar, no matter what- it was obvious to what was behind it, behind it was a cruel and pitiful motivation.

_"Come, Friend, you too must die. Why moan about it so? Even Patroclus died, a far, far better man than you."_

As he looked away so he may have deniability, so were they dragged away.

* * *

The depravity of it all was the most beautiful to Junko. The unsensible bloodshed that painted abandoned and forgotten homes of those unfortunate souls.

Truly, she hadn't expected this. Byakuya Togami, leading to the downfall of Class 78? Well...that title goes to Junko, but a least the remaining members of Class 78.

She had to hand it to him, it had been a while since she saw something so fresh. After a while, the same 'torture and murder your loved ones" gets old. 

This was _new_ \- this was _interesting_. To see them all struggle to survive and keep their sanity with each passing day, to see them get so close to the finish line, only to chop off their own leg?

It was hilarious.

To be brought down by a scorned lover? Though, that title doesn't exactly suit him, seeing as they haven't been lovers...to _their_ knowledge. Revengeful admirer? Well, that certainly doesn't have an _awful_ ring to it.

* * *

Byakuya stood still. 

"Well, they're dead." He nodded. Monokuma just stared into him.

"I mean, do you even get to enjoy this?" Byakuya shook his head.

"It's not about enjoying anything." He felt a stab in his lung, causing him to double over and cough into his hand. He had been holding in all his coughs the entire trial, now? He was glad to let it all out.

He straightened himself before lifting his hand up, palm up.

 _Blood_. Byakuya snickered. _Well, the poison is working._

"I'll say hi to Makoto for you." Monokuma's laugh rang throughout the room. "What?"

"What makes you think Makoto is dead?" Byakuya felt his entire world standstill.

"...what?"

"Actually, he might be. I haven't checked." Byakuya stared. "All he did was fall into the trash chute. He was a bit injured but...eh, he probably starved by now."

"...trash chute." _No. no...nononono-_

"Awe, did it finally click?" Monokuma tittered. Byakuya felt his mind and his body break in unison. "Kyoko was going to save Makoto."

Byakuya dropped to his knees. Blood gushed out of his mouth as his glasses fell off his face.

"It was...it was all for nothing?" 

"Well, yeah, sorta-" 

"It was all for nothing." He looked at his shaking, bloody hands. _All for nothing all for nothing all for nothing all for...nothing._

Perhaps he is Achilles, and Makoto was his Patrocles...

...but it wasn't he who would be buried with the perfection of this world.

_"When he died, all things soft and beautiful and bright would be buried with him."_

_(Those things left this world when **Makoto** did.)_

Byakuya fell onto his face as more blood and vomit began spewing out of him. He gagged as the putrid smell entered his nose, causing himself to vomit even more.

His entire body went limp. Byakuya gathered his strength and moved onto his side.

He didn't really care anymore.

Byakuya felt the punch of pain rise- the blood and vomit gurgled out of him, gravity pulling them back into him.

In his pond of blood, vomit, and saliva, Byakuya managed the impossible.

Byakuya Togami drowned in his own fountain of turmoil.

**Author's Note:**

> byakuya, under his breath: lets lose our mcfucking minds  
> toko: damn am i deaf cos i do not see shit
> 
> i hope you enjoyed your stay <3  
> twitter: [kaffeine6](https://twitter.com/kaffeine6)


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